Prior art methods of collecting and gathering solar energy over large areas of land include the following:
(1) Solar energy is collected by hot plate absorbers in which solar energy is converted to heat. The heat either boils a liquid or raises the temperature of a fluid, and by corradiation in either case this hot fluid, energy is brought to a common heat recovery plant.
(2) Solar energy is collected by means of parabolic or paraboloidal mirrors and is converted to heat in a focal absorber in which either the temperature of a fluid is raised or a liquid is boiled. In either case the hot fluid is corradiated as in (1).
(3) Solar energy is collected by flat mirrors or near flat mirrors by means of which the radiant energy is redirected to a common focal absorber usually elevated. The heat energy is recovered by the absorber by means of a heat exchanging fluid.